More articles from this author:

You will need to consider several factors when you choose a nursing school. What might be important to some other nursing student might not really be a concern to you. Therefore, you need to choose a nursing school that fits in with your career plan, budget, and other considerations. Arm yourself with a book and a pen and use this article on which to base your research for the best nursing school.

Some of the questions you should consider when you choose a school are…

• Do you want to study to be a Registered Nurse, or would you be happy with a lesser nursing certification?
• Do you want to attend a regular college course during the day and invest in college before taking up a job?
• Do you want to work as a nursing aide or assistant and attend a specialized program during off hours to earn while studying?
• Do you want to begin your career with a start Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) certification, and study to be a registered nurse later?

Make sure you consider these questions and your responses to these before investing in heavy nursing tuition.

Would You Pass the NCLEX?

Assess Your Shortlisted Schools

Do some research and locate the nursing school in which you want to enroll. Create a list of pros and cons for each nursing school in your choice list. Base your assessment on the following considerations:

1. Decide on which nursing program you want to attend, and then choose a school that offers the cheapest course in your chosen specialty.

2. Look for nursing schools in your preferred locality first, to find out which schools offer the courses that you want. Local schools will be easier to attend and you can save money on relocating and living elsewhere.

3. A small school will have fewer students and you might get more tutor attention, while a larger school attracts faculty from top health care facilities and offers more intellectual stimulation. Choose the size of your school based on what you want.

4. Find out how many students are there in both classroom and clinical classes, to ensure that you don’t get lost in a sea of students sharing the same faculty. It’s better to opt for small class sizes for clinical rotation.

5. Find out if your chosen school provides sufficient clinical rotation time. Would you be able to obtain enough hands-on experience?